P380 Reassembly Problems

[Jimbo]

I'm a Newbie - Great Forum. Sorry for double posting.

I just acquired my P380 - and recently ran 250 rounds through it with only 2 FTF. I love the pistol. Note it is a KP38233 (CA Legal) and needs the dissassembly tool (orange mag).

So I sat down tonight to strip and clean for the first time. No problem. NOW I can't seem to reassemble. Everything goes OK but the spring guide rod (flange?) seems to be catching on something internally and is causing the guide rod to protrude 3/8" out the front when in the "home" position.

It seems like the guide rod flange may be catching on something?

I am a GLOCK man with some years experience but this is a new problem for me. I am following manual description to the letter. I have tried reassembly a dozen times with the same effect.

Any ideas? This is a huge bummer as it now just a paper weight.

[cloud]

if you go to kahrs web site and check out the video on the p380 disassembly and reassembly that will help. It can explain it better than me .

[kahrnut1]

the flange on rod needs to be centered on barrel lug not in slide. the lug is off center. make sure the open end of spring is toward front of slide. kahrs vid helps but does not show off center to well.

[Jimbo]

Thank you. I have watched the video repeatedly, as well as this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhOJDq2ShDE


At 3:17 when this fellow snicks the slide into place - mine will NOT do that.
The guide rod is hanging up somewhere and protruding out the front of the gun 1/2".

Make sense?

[muggsy]

You may need to manipulate the trigger to re-install the slide. Hold the trigger back and see if the slide will go on properly. My P380 will hang up like that occasionally. Once you get past the place where the slide hangs up you can release the trigger. Then align the witness marks and snap the slide lock back into place. Piece of cake.

[wyntrout]

I just posted this picture of my PM9 a few days ago. The flange end should be centered on the lug, but could be about 1/16" lower and touching the semi-circular ridge.

The open ends of the recoil springs should be forward and should not go through the front hole in the slide before the recoil guide rod. Sometimes you have to twirl the springs and get the rod through first. If one of the free ends gets alongside or in front of the rod, the rod can become jammed forward.

http://www.kahrtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9289&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1380840615

Wynn:)

[cloud]

Thank you. I have watched the video repeatedly, as well as this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhOJDq2ShDE


At 3:17 when this fellow snicks the slide into place - mine will NOT do that.
The guide rod is hanging up somewhere and protruding out the front of the gun 1/2".

Make sense?

Do you have the springs on the guide set correctly ? So the spring can't go out the end of the slide and stays compressed.

[Jimbo]

Yes. I have the springs oriented correctly - open end facing the front. I also have them seated correctly when I insert the guide rod/spring assembly. It is clear to me that the guide rod flange is catching on something internally. I am baffled. I will try and post pics.

[jocko]

I'm a Newbie - Great Forum. Sorry for double posting.

I just acquired my P380 - and recently ran 250 rounds through it with only 2 FTF. I love the pistol. Note it is a KP38233 (CA Legal) and needs the dissassembly tool (orange mag).

So I sat down tonight to strip and clean for the first time. No problem. NOW I can't seem to reassemble. Everything goes OK but the spring guide rod (flange?) seems to be catching on something internally and is causing the guide rod to protrude 3/8" out the front when in the "home" position.

It seems like the guide rod flange may be catching on something?

I am a GLOCK man with some years experience but this is a new problem for me. I am following manual description to the letter. I have tried reassembly a dozen times with the same effect.

Any ideas? This is a huge bummer as it now just a paper weight.

is ur slide lock lever spring yellow or black???:Amflag2:

[Jimbo]

Slide lock lever spring is black.

[cloud]

before you try and put the slide on the frame are the springs compressed and not sticking out of the slide? I'm sure you probably all ready checked out kahrs web site for the manuals (page 18 of the manual) has some good pic's and info.

[Jimbo]

I can see the problem. There is a lip about 1/4" in front of the guide rod seat that my guide rod flange is catching on.

In photo 1 you can clearly see the lip. The photo 2-3 you can see that the guide rod flange is stopped short of the seat by this lip.

http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/628d1381256668t-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-1.jpg (http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/628d1381256668-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-1.jpg)

http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/629d1381256670t-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-2.jpg (http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/629d1381256670-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-2.jpg)

http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/630d1381256673t-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-3.jpg (http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/630d1381256673-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-3.jpg)

I do not see how the pistol was assembled in the first place as I can't see a way to wiggle the flange past this lip. It is hard enough to seat it properly it with the guide rod alone, not attached to the slide.

See my problem?

[cloud]

I can see the problem. There is a lip about 1/4" in front of the guide rod seat that my guide rod flange is catching on.

In photo 1 you can clearly see the lip. The photo 2-3 you can see that the guide rod flange is stopped short of the seat by this lip.

http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/628d1381256668t-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-1.jpg (http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/628d1381256668-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-1.jpg)

http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/629d1381256670t-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-2.jpg (http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/629d1381256670-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-2.jpg)

http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/630d1381256673t-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-3.jpg (http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/630d1381256673-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-3.jpg)

I do not see how the pistol was assembled in the first place as I can't see a way to wiggle the flange past this lip. It is hard enough to seat it properly it with the guide rod alone, not attached to the slide.

See my problem?

Maybe my computer .But I cant open the pic's

[Glock23]

No pics here, either.

[gb6491]

I can see the problem. There is a lip about 1/4" in front of the guide rod seat that my guide rod flange is catching on.

In photo 1 you can clearly see the lip. The photo 2-3 you can see that the guide rod flange is stopped short of the seat by this lip.

http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/628d1381256668t-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-1.jpg (http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/628d1381256668-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-1.jpg)

http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/629d1381256670t-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-2.jpg (http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/629d1381256670-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-2.jpg)

http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/630d1381256673t-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-3.jpg (http://www.**************/forums/attachments/kahr-p380/630d1381256673-reassembly-problem-new-p380-owner-3.jpg)

I do not see how the pistol was assembled in the first place as I can't see a way to wiggle the flange past this lip. It is hard enough to seat it properly it with the guide rod alone, not attached to the slide.

See my problem?
Jimbo,
This forum does not allow links to that website.

Here are some of Jimbo's photos:
http://i42.tinypic.com/30svu3c.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/2ur9k7n.jpg

I don't have a P380, so what I'm going to say is out of school.
My CM9 has a similar "lip", so i'm guessing the one on your P380 is by design.
The fit of my CM9's guide rod flange is not as tight as you describe it on your gun.
Have you checked the frame or guide rod flange for damage?
Is it possible that you have a non-OEM guide rod (maybe a little over-size)?

My guess is that you will need to be either absolutely precise in the alignment of the guide rod during installation or reduce the diameter of the guide rod flange.

Regards,
Greg

[Jimbo]

Thanks very much for uploading the pics. I was having trouble.

I am having the same problem with an aftermarket stainless guide as I do with the OEM guide rod. I opted to use the stainless rod because it showed up better in the photos. The stainless guide rod flange is actually slightly smaller. I have spent hours trying to align and realign the guide rod in the slide. This operation is slowed down considerable because I need to use the orange disassembly mag every time I break down. Any way there is NO WAY the flange will slip into place. Like in the photos, I can slide the flange home on its own, so no way it will go in attached to the slide assembly. I think the solution is not to reduce the guide rod flange diameter, but to have Kahr shave off this lip which is preventing the flange admittance.

I sent my query to Kahr and they are asking to see the gun, so I am happy to send it in - although I am not looking forward to carrying my Glock in the interim. It is clear that the guide rod flange has somehow pushed some of the polymer material in the channel back to create this lip. This lip has reduced the size of the seat channel just enough to block the insertion of the guide rod flange. I think I could file or Dremel off this lip but I don't want to void warranty. It is basically a new gun.

I appreciate the input and I will keep you posted.

[cloud]

do you have a pic of the guide rod resting on the barrel inside the slide?

[Jimbo]

I don't because I just boxed it up to send to Kahr.

[cloud]

I don't because I just boxed it up to send to Kahr.

sent my p380 off last week to kahr .Said about a 4 week turnaround. I hope kahr was being real conservative with their time estimate . Springfield also has my xds. Wondering which gun I will get back first. My money is on the kahr.lol

[Jimbo]

Update: I just got the P380 back from Kahr. They did not give any explanation for the malfunction. They retooled the interior of the frame and replaced the guide springs. Seems fine now. I will post updates of interest if any.

Thanks a million to all of the forum members that helped out.

[The Faux King]

Interesting, I'd like to see the pics if you have the time!

[Jimbo]

I will post some pics shortly. But basically the "lip" visible in the first pic of post #15 in this thread has been removed. No one can tell me how it got there and no one else seems to have encountered or heard of this problem.

[fasteddie]

I have a p380, and the **** is doing the same thing. The lip actually frayed on mine. It happened after I put 300 rounds through the gun in a couple hours of shooting. I'm thinking that what's happening is the gun is getting hot and the polymer is expanding a little bit. Then, the slide's pushing back against the polymer as the spring takes up the recoil. Then when I went to clean afterward, I had to pull the slide fairly hard to get it off...that's when I shredded the edge of the lip pulling it forward.

Glad I found this thread though...now I know what to do about it.